Ferrari ‘expected’ to make surprise move for Zhou Guanyu – report

Might Ferrari be making a move to sign one of F1 2024’s dumped drivers to its roster for next season?

According to Italian media, there are moves afoot within the walls of Maranello to hand fresh opportunities to young talent.

Zhou Guanyu to join Ferrari?

According to Italy’s Corriere Della Serra, Ferrari could turn towards current Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu next season.

The Chinese driver has been with Sauber for three years but will not be part of the Swiss squad’s driver line-up for next year, as the team has signed Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bartoleto for its final year before evolving into Audi.

Zhou was previously part of Ferrari’s Driver Academy between 2014 and ’18, before switching to Alpine’s junior programme.

Oliver Bearman served in the role of the Scuderia’s reserve in F1 2024 but, with the British driver joining Haas as a full-time racing driver next season, Ferrari needs to sign a new reserve. With plenty of experience of the current F1 cars and the driving characteristics of the Ferrari engine, signing Zhou makes sense from a practical sense as well as offering ample commercial opportunities for the prestigious marque.

Following on from a four-percent drop in new car sales in China in 2023, this year has seen Ferrari’s new car sales slump by around 25 percent as electric vehicles are highly in demand in the country and its territories.

Signing Zhou would strengthen its position in the market, enabling Ferrari to use the popular driver in its commercial strategic marketing and attempt to address this slump.

“After Ollie Bearman’s move to Haas, Ferrari is expected to bring in Chinese driver Zhou (dumped by Sauber) as a reserve for next year,” read a short report in the Italian newspaper.

More on Ferrari and F1 2025

? F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

? Ferrari Driver Academy: What has happened to every former Scuderia prospect?

Arthur Leclerc to make Ferrari F1 debut?

According to the same report, Arthur Leclerc could be set to join his brother Charles on track at the same time during an official Formula 1 session in Abu Dhabi.

Leclerc is a development driver for the Italian manufacturer, currently racing in sportscars, but has been put forward as a possibility to join Leclerc for first practice in Abu Dhabi.

This is due to F1’s required rookie running, which makes it mandatory for each team to run a rookie driver (defined as a driver with two or fewer Grands Prix competed in) for two sessions over a season, replacing each of the full-time drivers once.

With Charles Leclerc having already given up his Ferrari to Bearman in Mexico, Carlos Sainz is still required to give his car over to someone for a practice session over the final triple-header.

Leclerc is familiar with the Ferrari simulator, and has raced for Ferrari in the hypercar category, while also winning the Italian GT championship with Giancarlo Fisichella.

Corriere reports that Leclerc will likely join his brother on track in practice in Abu Dhabi, meaning the Leclerc brothers will be the first siblings on track together in an official F1 session since Michael and Ralf Schumacher at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

But Leclerc isn’t expected to stay on for the young driver running in the post-season test, as Antonio Fuoco, another Ferrari development and sportscar driver, is expected to carry out these duties.

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